TORONTO (Reuters) - Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is working out twice a day in his bid to return from a concussion and high-scoring team mate Evgeni Malkin should be set for training camp, the team said on Monday.
The team has also discussed pursuing free agent Jaromir Jagr, the former Penguins player who is contemplating a return to the NHL after spending the last three seasons playing in Russia's Kontinental Hockey League.
Crosby, sidelined for much of the last NHL season with concussion-related symptoms, was cleared by doctors to begin workouts and has resumed a normal training routine, according to Penguins coach Dan Bylsma.
"He came back to Pittsburgh after a hiatus or vacation with some of his team mates," Bylsma, who was named coach of the year last week, said in comments posted on the team's website. "He's been working out two times a day and progressing along his normal road of summer activity."
Crosby has not played since January 5 when he was slammed into the end boards by Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman four days after he was caught off guard when he was knocked to the ice by Washington Capitals forward David Steckel.
The former NHL most valuable player whose overtime goal won the gold medal for Canada at the Vancouver Olympics last year, was enjoying perhaps his best season, leading the league in scoring with 66 points in 41 games.
Malkin, who had season-ending knee surgery in February, has been progressing at full speed and Bylsma expects the Russian sniper to be back at full fitness when training camp opens.
According to Bylsma, former Malkin team mate and fellow Russian Sergei Gonchar said he has never seen the 2009 NHL scoring champion working so hard, looking so good and motivated at this point in the offseason.
"So I expect a real motivated, a real focused guy and a guy who is ready to go for training camp - is probably already ready to go," said Bylsma. "He'll be at full go coming into training camp and really motivated."
As for Jagr, a five-time NHL scoring champion and former league most valuable player who helped the Penguins win two Stanley Cups, Bylsma said he could be a nice fit.
"There are things that I think he could add to our team," said Bylsma. "In terms of where he fits in structurally, contract-wise, that's another issue as well.
"Those are all things that are part of that equation and that we've talked about and will continue to talk about over the next few days."
(Reporting by Steve Keating; Editing by Frank Pingue)
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